The overall goal and mission of the UTSA MBRS SCORE Program is to develop the biomedical research capability of the faculty and to significantly increase the number of underrepresented minorities actively engaged in biomedical research. To accomplish our goal and mission, the following objectives have been established: (1) Significantly increase the number of publications in peer-reviewed journals; (2) Significantly increase the number and size of extramural, individual, non-MBRS grants submitted and funded; (3) Significantly increase the percent of faculty with at least one minority student; (4) Increase the participation of SCORE faculty in peer-reviewed activities such as serving as a referee for journals and grants; (5) Maintain the activity of faculty collaborations with other laboratories that result in a referred publication or grant application; (6) Increase the number of invited presentations by SCORE faculty; and (7) Maintain the activity of at least one research presentation per year at national/professional society meetings. To accomplish and monitor our objectives, the MBRS SCORE Advisory Committee, The External Scientific Advisory Committee (ESAC), The MBRS SCORE Executive Committee and Program Evaluator will regularly conduct evaluations and work with MBRS SCORE faculty to meet these objectives by providing advice to each investigator in the form of "mentoring" by senior scientists. The ESAC will provide "qualitative" assessments on the development of faculty capabilities and progress in biomedical research. These assessments will be reviewed by all committees and recommendations for improvement (if needed) will be communicated to each MBRS SCORE investigator. UTSA has experienced extraordinary growth in terms of new faculty, student enrollments and infrastructure. UTSA is now among the nation's top five educators of Hispanics in the country for seven different degree programs. In fact, UTSA leads all U.S. Universities in the number of undergraduate degrees granted to Hispanic Students in the biological sciences. With a majority minority enrollment (58%; 45.6% Hispanic), UTSA is positioned to become a national center of excellence for the education of Hispanics at the master's and doctoral levels. [unreadable] [unreadable]